Jill Biden returns 'home' to address Delaware Technical Community College graduates
Jill Biden, a former Delaware Technical Community College professor, spoke Wednesday at the institution's graduation ceremony for the Stanton and George campuses.
Hundreds of new graduates welcomed the former second lady back home during the ceremony at the Bob Carpenter Sports Center at the University of Delaware in Newark. Biden taught at the community college for 15 years as an English professor before joining her husband and former Vice President Joe Biden in Washington. She was thankful to be back with the Delaware Tech community.
“I feel at home here,” Biden said.
Much has changed over the past eight years. She is now an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College. But one constant remains: her devotion to Delaware Tech. The institute was Biden’s first endeavor in higher education.
“When we won the election in 2008, I had to leave DelTech to go to (Washington) D.C.,” she said. “But in a way, DelTech has always stayed with me.”
Before hundreds of graduates, Biden spoke about the milestone each graduate was set to achieve and the journey that lies ahead. No matter the path taken, Biden said, students should cherish the moment.
“If you can walk across this stage, you can do anything,” Biden said.
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On a night when the oldest graduate was 70 years old and the youngest was 19, Biden spoke about her love for the community college system. She said she fell in love with community college because of the opportunities the institutions provide. It’s why she has an advocate for increased access to students seeking higher education as part of College Promise. The program supports funding for the first two years of college.
She challenged that new graduates venturing out into the real world for a job or further education not be discouraged by naysayers and self-doubt along the way.
“There will be schedules to balance, responsibilities to tend to and all the details of life that trip us up, but you’ve already done so much, you’ve already accomplished so much and you will take on whatever is to come with the same courage, commitment and guts that got you here. So don’t forget, you got this.”
She believes community college’s “are America’s best-kept secret” and its students are “the best the nation has to offer.”
More than 650 associate degrees were handed out during the evening.
“Hardworking, inspiring strong people who are determined to make their lives and, by effect, our nation better. This I believe,” she said.
She said those in attendance were the future of "health care, law enforcement, industries, science and education."
“I believe in you. Your teachers here at DelTech believe in you, and I hope that you will always believe in yourselves.”
Contact Alonzo Small at (302) 324-2856 or asmall@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @P_AlonzoSmall.